B4926 - COMMUNICATION DESIGN

Learning outcomes

At the end of the Course the student will know and understand the main communication tools and channels peculiar to the fashion system; they will be able to apply tools and techniques aimed at defining a communication strategy; independently or in a group, they will have developed expertise in analysis and planning, improving their negotiation, teambuilding, leadership and conflict management skills.

Course contents

The course introduces students to communication design within the fashion system, examining the principal tools, channels and methods used to analyse, define and develop a communication strategy. Both traditional and digital channels will be considered, with particular attention to their relationships within integrated communication ecosystems.

The course is organised around the following thematic areas:

Fashion as a material and immaterial system.
Fashion is introduced as a complex system and as a language generated through the interaction between material elements — garments, textiles, accessories, the body, manufacturing processes and products — and immaterial elements, including identity, values, symbols, imaginaries, narratives and communication. This framework enables students to understand communication not only as a promotional activity, but as a constitutive component of the fashion system.

Brand identity and communication ecosystems.
The course examines how fashion brands construct and communicate their identity. Topics include visual and verbal language, storytelling, tone of voice, positioning, target audiences, touchpoints and the integration of physical and digital communication tools and channels.

Analysing fashion communication.
Through the critical examination of brands and case studies, students will acquire methods for assessing the coherence between identity, stated values, communication languages, content, audiences and channels. Case studies will be selected from different geographical and cultural contexts in order to develop a comparative understanding of fashion communication that extends beyond predominantly Eurocentric perspectives.

Communication strategy design.
Students will be introduced to the tools required to interpret a project brief and define a coherent communication strategy. Topics include context and stakeholder analysis, communication objectives, audience definition, key messages, channel selection, touchpoint organisation and the development of a communication concept.

Project laboratory.
The laboratory component will be dedicated to the development of a collaborative project based on an existing fashion brand. Starting from an analysis of the brand’s language and communication ecosystem, students will develop a strategic proposal aimed at supporting an ongoing transition towards more sustainable and circular practices. The project will not focus on creating a new brand or merely redesigning its visual identity, but on the informed application of communication design tools to a realistic case.

Analytical, presentation, discussion and collaborative project activities will also contribute to the development of transferable skills related to teamwork, negotiation, teambuilding, responsibility and leadership, management of different perspectives and conflict resolution.

Readings/Bibliography

Core readings

• Hancock II, J. H. (2022). Fashion Brand Stories(3rd ed.). Bloomsbury Visual Arts. This volume is the principal course textbook. Through fashion brand case studies, it introduces key concepts related to brand identity, storytelling, brand culture and audience relationships. The third edition also addresses social media, collaborations, and more responsible production and consumption practices.

• Sabatini, N., Sádaba, T., Tosi, A., Neri, V., & Cantoni, L. (Eds.). (2023). Fashion Communication in the Digital Age: Proceedings of the FACTUM 23 Conference, Pisa, Italy, 2023. Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-38541-4. Students will study selected chapters identified by the lecturer, focusing on digital communication, social media, emerging technologies, transparency and intercultural perspectives. The volume is available open access.

• United Nations Environment Programme & UN Climate Change. (2023). The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook. UNEP. The publication will support the project laboratory and the examination of how communication can assist fashion brands in their transition towards more sustainable and circular practices. The text is available online as an open-access publication.

Recommended readings

• Wheeler, A. (2017). Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team (5th ed.). Wiley. The volume provides frameworks, tools and methods for analysing brand identity and organising the development of a communication strategy.

• Frisa, M. L. (2022). Le forme della moda. Il Mulino. The book provides an accessible introduction to fashion as a cultural system, language and network of practices and professions. It is particularly recommended for students without a previous academic background in fashion.

The sections required for the examination, together with any additional readings, will be specified at the beginning of the course and listed on the Virtuale platform. Lecture slides, audiovisual materials, case studies, reports and further resources used during the course will also be made available or referenced through the same platform.

Non-attending students are required to contact the lecturer at the beginning of the course to receive information about supplementary readings and activities necessary to achieve the same learning outcomes expected from attending students.

Teaching methods

The course combines lectures, case-study analysis, project activities and workshop-based learning, following an active-learning approach centred on the progressive development of a communication project.

Theoretical lectures, supported by slides, visual materials, videos and documentaries, will provide the knowledge and tools required to understand and manage the main elements of fashion communication:

• fashion as a material and immaterial system and as a language;
• the concepts of brand, brand identity and positioning;
• the brand’s visual and verbal language;
• the complexity of contemporary communication and the integration of traditional and digital channels;
• the analysis of communication ecosystems, audiences, stakeholders and touchpoints;
• the interpretation of a project brief and the definition of communication objectives, messages and strategies;
• the creative process and the translation of a strategy into a coherent project proposal;
• the role of communication in supporting transitions towards more sustainable and circular practices.

Case studies will be selected from different geographical and cultural contexts and discussed collectively in order to develop observation, comparative and critical-analysis skills.

The course follows a weekly structure organised into two complementary sessions. Monday classes include the review and discussion of submitted work, theoretical lectures, case-study analysis and the introduction of subsequent activities. Tuesday classes are dedicated to supervised group work, project development, tutorials and reviews with the lecturer.

Students will work in groups of two or three on a sequence of interconnected assignments that will progressively contribute to the final project. Regular reviews, peer discussion and formative feedback will allow students to assess their progress and critically revise their analytical and project decisions.

Collaborative activities are also designed to develop transferable skills related to negotiation, teambuilding, responsibility and leadership, management of different perspectives and conflict resolution.

The integration of theoretical content, audiovisual materials, discussion, analysis and project experimentation is intended to support students from different educational backgrounds and with different approaches to learning.

Assessment methods

Assessment is based on continuous evaluation, including intermediate assignments, the development of a final project and an individual oral examination. The assessment activities verify students’ knowledge of the principal tools and channels of fashion communication, as well as their ability to apply analytical and project methods to the definition of a communication strategy.

Attending students

Attending students will work in groups of two or three on a sequence of progressive assignments covering the principal phases of a communication project:

• analysis of the selected brand, its communication language and channels;
• analysis of its communication ecosystem and identification of relevant benchmarks;
• interpretation of the project brief and identification of design opportunities;
• definition of objectives, audiences, stakeholders, messages and touchpoints;
• development of a communication strategy;
• formulation of creative and strategic guidelines and an applied proposal.

Intermediate assignments will be presented and discussed during the course and will progressively contribute to the final project. Group assignments will receive a common group grade.

The final grade will be determined as follows:

• intermediate assignments: 45%;
• final group project and presentation: 40%;
• individual oral examination on the course contents and assigned readings: 15%.

The individual oral examination assesses students’ understanding of the theoretical content, command of disciplinary terminology and ability to critically explain and justify the decisions made throughout the project.

Non-attending students

Non-attending students are required to contact the lecturer at the beginning of the teaching period and, in any case, before starting the project.

Assessment will follow the same structure established for attending students, but all activities must be completed individually. Additional readings will be assigned to complement the classroom discussions, reviews and collaborative learning activities undertaken by attending students.

The final grade will be determined as follows:

• individual intermediate assignments: 45%;
• individual final project and presentation: 40%;
• individual oral examination on the course content, core bibliography and supplementary readings: 15%.

The schedule, submission procedures and structure of the individual project must be agreed upon with the lecturer in advance.

Assessment criteria

Intermediate assignments and the final project will be assessed according to:

• depth, accuracy and level of detail of the research and analysis;
• appropriate application of communication design tools and methods;
• coherence between the brief, analysis, objectives and proposed strategy;
• quality and feasibility of the strategic and project decisions;
• originality and relevance of the selected case study, with particular recognition given to less widely known and appropriately documented brands;
• critical thinking and autonomy in the interpretation of sources;
• organisation, clarity, readability and visual care of the submitted materials;
• quality of the visual and oral presentation;
• correct export, naming and saving of files in the required formats;
• compliance with submission procedures and deadlines;
• for group assignments, continuity and quality of the collaborative process.

Limited and mainly descriptive preparation, uncertain application of methods and poorly developed or presented materials will result in a grade between 18 and 21 out of 30. Adequate preparation, correct but not fully developed analysis and an overall coherent proposal will result in a grade between 22 and 24. Good command of the content, analytical autonomy and project coherence will result in a grade between 25 and 27. Thorough preparation, critical ability, originality, methodological accuracy and high-quality communication will result in a grade between 28 and 30. Honours will be awarded for full disciplinary command, outstanding critical autonomy, particularly strong project quality and the ability to establish connections and engage in critical self-reflection.

Use of generative Artificial Intelligence

Limited, declared and non-substantial use of generative Artificial Intelligence is permitted for support activities such as language revision, rephrasing and preliminary organisation of information. AI may not replace the research, critical analysis, strategic development or project work required by the assessment.

Any use must be declared and documented according to the lecturer’s instructions. Students may be required to submit process materials and individually discuss the decisions made.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders or disabilities

Students with Specific Learning Disorders, temporary or permanent disabilities are encouraged to contact the relevant University Office in due time:
https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en

The Office may propose appropriate adaptations. These must be submitted to the lecturer for approval at least fifteen days in advance and will be evaluated in relation to the learning outcomes of the course.

Teaching tools

The materials used during the course will be made available or referenced through the Virtuale platform and may include:

• lecture slides in PDF format;
• texts, academic papers and other supplementary readings;
• videos, documentaries and audiovisual resources;
• links to websites, campaigns, digital platforms, pages and accounts used as examples or case studies;
• project briefs, operational instructions and materials related to assignments and the final project;
• references and materials discussed during project reviews.

The reviews scheduled during classes are an integral part of the teaching activities and support the progressive development of the project. Any additional review sessions must be arranged in advance with the lecturer by e-mail and will be subject to the lecturer’s teaching commitments and availability.

Students are expected to consult the Virtuale platform and their institutional e-mail account regularly for teaching materials, announcements and instructions concerning course activities.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Antonia Salomè